Can you believe it!  We are three months into the Major League Baseball season?!? At Planaganza we love the game and this has been the season of many surprises. Who would of predicted the Tampa Bay Rays would have the best record in the American League or last year’s National League Champs -Colorado Rockies would have the worst record in the National League?

If you and your friends enjoy the game, or you are looking for a different type of outing visit your local ball park. A few sample outings are below:

• Bachelor Party – Start your special day with a round of golf in the morning and finish the day at the park. It will be a great place to hang out with your buddies and unwind before your big day! If you can attend during a special event such as Boston Red Sox Picnic in the Park or a promotional night that could be an added bonus -Toyota Chase Utley Bobble Figurine
• Girl’s Get together – A day at the park will provide a great environment to catch up with the girls in a social environment. Some teams have event geared towards women, for example the Minnesota Twins recently hosted ‘Wine, Women, and Baseball’.
• Family outing – Some teams like the SF Giants offer packages for children. The Giants offer 2008 XTREME Kids Club which includes: 2008 4th-edition Lou seal ceramic mini wind-up; 2008 Xtreme Kids/Giants backpack; Membership card with a $5 credit to the Dugout Store; and Two (2) View Reserved tickets to a select Giants home game. There are also benefits for the parents. A day at the park can be a great way to bond with a child and leave lasting memories both you and your child!

Plan your baseball outing at Planaganza.com!

Memorial Day is a  U.S. holiday that  is observed on the last Monday in May.  The holiday is set aside to commemorate the men and women who have served and died in military service to the country dating back to the American Civil War.  Some people also view Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer.  If you are among this group of people who are ready to come out of winter hibernation, here are some great ideas for celebrating the start of the summer season.

• Caribbean Wine Festival at Linganore Winecellars
  • May 24-25, 2008
  • 12PM – 6PM
  • Mt. Airy, Maryland
  • 2 Caribbean bands, winery tours and wine tastings
  • $15 for Adults, $10 for 18-20 years old, Free for children under 18
• Captain Morgan’s Jam on the River at Penn’s Landing
  • May 23-25, 2008
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Musical  festival with various acts and musicians
  • Tickets are $45 and need to be purchased in advance from TicketMaster.com
• Navy Pier Memorial Day Celebration (Fireworks display)
  • Starts May 24, 2008
  • Chicago, IL
  • Twice weekly from Memorial Day until Labor Day
• Fiesta Hermosa in Hermosa Beach
  • May 24-25, 2008
  • 10am – 6pm
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Over 270 vendors, Doggie Costume Contest, live music and art

Plan these and other events at Planaganza.com

The music industries biggest night of the year is fast approaching.  The Grammy Awards (R) brings together musics top talent for a night of glitz, glamour and great music.  This is a perfect opportunity to bring family and friends together for a Grammy’s viewing party. 

Invitations: Send guests CD invitations with a compilation of your favorite music.  Inside the CD cover place a ballot listing the major grammy’s categories and tell your guests to vote on who they think will win in each category and bring the ballot with them to the party.  Additionally, ask guests to dress like their favorite music artist for the party.

Favors: Purchase miniture gold statues (like the Grammy award) to give to guests as parting gifts.

Activities: Set up the Karaoke machine and having a singing competition throughout the awards.  Have guests sing along with the musical performances and give a prize for the best rendition. 

Decor: The Grammy’s are more trendy than elegant so think color, shimmer and, for the lack of a better word, BLING.

Plan this event and more at Planaganza.com - the place for life’s events!

Martin Luther King Jr. stood for equality, justice and service to all.  Although the state of the “dream” and how far we have come in realizing it can be called into question, the essence of MLK Day lies in its call to action within our communities. Here are 3 ways to organize your friends and family to make an impact in your community on MLK day.

1. Plan a community breakfast at your church or a nearby community center and invite everyone from the neighborhood to come and discuss the impact that Dr. King has had on our community and where the dream is not being realized.  Bring audio snippets of Dr. King’s popular speeches to spark conversation and give guests a business card sized memento with “I have a dream” inscribed on one side and “My Dream Realized” inscribed on the other with three lines below it.  This space will be used for guests to write three things they will do throughout the year to realize the dream in their community.
2. Invite friends and family over to your neighborhood park or playground area for a day of neighborhood cleanup.  Get everyone matching “Day of Service” T-shirts and recruit others along the way.  For kids, make a contest out of how many bags of trash they can collect.  Make sure you arm them with gloves and long pants to avoid injury.  You might also chose to purchase some a small tree to commemorate the event.  Plant it in the park and watch it grow in the spring.
3. Team up with a community center, neighborhood initiative or local cause that has a service event planned for the day.  Help market the event by sending out invitations to your circle of friends inviting them to volunteer.  You can find great electronic invitations for MLK Day at Planaganza.com.

Whatever you plan to do for MLK Day remember the dream.  To refresh your memory and see other events happening for the day visit the MLK Day website.

Plan this event and more at Planaganza.com - the place for life’s events!

Although most of us cannot afford their prices, we all marvel at the elaborate productions created by celebrity event planners.  The good news is that you really don’t need to spend a fortune on your event for it to be just as memorable and meaningful as some of these celebrity events.  I think Oprah Winfrey said it best when she said the love is in the details!  The following top 3 list is to help you get inspired in planning your own special events. By drawing from the ideas of experienced planners and added your own personal twist your events are bound to be a hit with your guests.

1. Colin Cowie – True celebrity event planner extraordinaire!  Colin Cowie has planned events for Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Mark Anthony, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Jennifer Aniston to name a few.  Colin’s corporate clients include Audemars Piguet, Davidoff of Geneva, Warner Bros, CBS, Cosmopolitan Magazine and InStyle Magazine.  Colin is known for his completely over-the-top decorating style that oozes with themes of luxury and elegance.  
2. David Tutera – David Tutera is the host of Party Planner on Discovery Home Channel.  He was also responsible for the media extravaganza which was Star Jones’ wedding!  He is also the go to guy for Elton John, Barbara Walters and Kenneth Cole.  David’s events are colorful and dripping with floral arrangements.
3. Preston Bailey – The king of flowers, Preston Bailey’s spaces are covered with thousands of floral arrangements.  Some of his clients are Donald Trump, Joan Rivers, Oprah Winfrey, and Matt Lauer.  He is also known for his amazing destination weddings on tropical islands.

All three of these planners have their own unique style. While you can use their creations as inspiration for your own designs, make sure to infuse your own unique style in all of your events.

Plan this event and more at Planaganza.com - the place for life’s events!